


These Feelings Won't Go Away

by kisstheloststars



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime), Sk8 - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Drama, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst and Tragedy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Awkward Romance, Best Friends, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Canon Compliant, Canon Related, Comfort/Angst, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, Drama, Drama & Romance, During Canon, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gentle Kissing, Idiots in Love, Kissing, Light Angst, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Male Friendship, Misunderstandings, Post-Canon, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Skating, Surprise Kissing, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29965596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisstheloststars/pseuds/kisstheloststars
Summary: The words echoed in his mind.Over and over, like a broken record.'You and I...aren't a good match anymore.'Langa helplessly curled up on his side beneath the covers, pulling them over his head in an attempt to retain some kind of warmth.But it became harder to breathe.Just what did Reki mean, exactly...?A 'match'...?
Relationships: Hasegawa Langa & Hasegawa Langa's Mother, Hasegawa Langa & Hasegawa Oliver, Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki, Kyan Reki/Hasegawa Langa, Renga - Relationship, langa x reki - Relationship, reki x langa - Relationship, rekilan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 184





	These Feelings Won't Go Away

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE THE SKATEBOARDING GAY/BIS!!!!!!!
> 
> Inspired by:  
> 🌸 Mine and @Akionix's gorgeous OCs - #RocamIsLove🌸  
> [Loving Caliber - These Feelings Won't Go Away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_entkURMPo&ab_channel=HEARTBEAT)  
> 

These feelings wouldn't go away.

As every second passed into the night, guilt and loneliness ate away at him. The hard drum of the raindrops hitting against his window were distracting, given how loudly it was pouring down, and his bedroom felt cold - impersonal.

_'Looks like the rain won't let up any time soon...'_

The space was lonely, even though it was Langa's own.

No matter how much he tossed and turned in his bed, he couldn't stay away from his phone.

_Forget sleep._

_He couldn't stay away from the memories that he had created with Reki._

Langa knew in his heart that he couldn't bear to leave things as they were. This crushing feeling of losing his... _'friend'_ intended on sticking around - and had no plans of going anywhere, anytime soon.

The words echoed in his mind.

Over and over, like a broken record.

_'You and I...aren't a good match anymore.'_

Langa helplessly curled up on his side beneath the covers, pulling them over his head in an attempt to retain some kind of warmth.

_But it became harder to breathe._

_Just what did Reki mean, exactly...?_

_A 'match'...?_

_As people? As friends? As rivals?_

_As what? Was this something one-sided on Langa's part? He was sure Reki felt the same, so why?_

_Was he...wrong in assuming that they were even friends to begin with?_

_After all, Reki's sentence alone made Langa feel..._

_**Cold**._

It shouldn't have been a problem, given that he had been snowboarding since infancy. There was no doubt about what his favourite season was, either.

One would even say "the cold never bothered him, anyway" - which was the case, as Reki once wheezed with laughter at his own joke, holding his stomach.

Of course, Langa blinked cluelessly in response, at that time.

Then, Reki went on to explain extensively how much his little sisters loved that film.

That night, the two boys sat down and watched it together.

_The memory ached like a shot to the chest._

Langa's thoughts really weren't helping, either.

Fluorescent blue light emitted from Langa's phone, as he could feel his eyes hurting - strobes of light also glided across the wall, illuminating his bedroom for a few moments, before the boy was enveloped in a silent darkness once again.

Involuntarily scrunching his face up, the ex-snowboarder let out a small sneeze, before sniffling and opening his eyes slowly.

He found that they were burning dry, and he must have caught a cold by now from standing in the rain for so long, prior.

_Just how many hours was he stood outside of Reki's house for, anyway...?_

It felt like he was waiting even longer than the time it took for him to complete his daily skateboarding.

The taller skater then gripped his phone with a pained expression.

_A space which he once shared with Reki..._

Filming him prancing around his room, pretending that the board he had created for his blue-eyed companion was a guitar.

Him using Langa's hairbrush as a microphone, encouraging him to do the same between lively laughter.

Looking into the camera and winking, gesturing finger guns.

His voice sounded rather fuzzy.

_Was it the sleep deprivation getting to him...?_

Langa rubbed his eyes with an exhausted sigh.

He felt like an idiot. The signs were all there, looking back on it.

Carefully examining the way Reki carried himself in these videos…

Langa found it was true, what people said -

_That the eyes are a window into the soul._

The way Reki stared into space, before realising he was on camera, the way the bags under his amber eyes were accentuated when he grinned. The way how, sometimes, the glimmer and shine behind them were absent.

Reki’s eyes, once so big and doe-like, seemed to become smaller and even more half-lidded. Slowly beginning to look disorientated and fatigued.

Ever since he went up against Adam. He had lost his spark.

**_Or Adam destroyed the love he had for it._ **

_The pressure Reki must have felt to pretend he was okay, and force it all for Langa's sake...to not make him feel this way..._

**_While he was breaking on the inside._ **

_It was inevitable._

_All because of Adam and his mind games._

Honestly, Langa didn't understand what the fuck Adam was talking about, 99% of the time.

And although the correct thing to do would be to take Reki's advice, upholding their prior promise, this situation simply made Langa want to skate against the older guy even more.

To make him eat his words, when it came to Reki. To apologise to the boy. To not underestimate him.

The same went for everyone else.

_Miya, Shadow, Cherry Blossom, Joe..._

Whoever dared to underestimate Reki.

But perhaps the red-haired boy would feel embarrassed.

Like he was a helpless victim, having a battle fought for him.

**_A battle which he hadn't asked Langa to stick his nose into._ **

The ex-snowboarder let out a small sigh.

If Reki wasn't bad enough, Langa knew that returning home soaking wet and depressed was the finishing blow, given his mother’s reaction.

The skating teen was usually honest with her - but why he wasn't in this instance, he didn't know, himself.

It felt suffocating, having to pretend in front of her. He was trying so hard to hold on - to keep it together.

**_He could only imagine how Reki felt._ **

Langa quickly shook his head, and he made some excuse about how his new skateboarding trick didn't work out, no matter how hard he tried.

She encouraged him to keep at it, but not at the cost of his own health. That patience and persistence was key.

As every good mother would.

But Langa knew that she knew it was something related to Reki.

_Hopefully._

_Of course she would._

_She was his mother, after all._

Despite saying that density runs in Oliver's side of the family, anxiety and overthinking ran in hers. Langa couldn't help but laugh at the memory of his father's dense nature.

However, despite her worry and questions, Langa insisted that he was okay, and went to shower.

The warm spray of the water hadn't relaxed his tensed up muscles in the slightest, which was rather odd – since it usually got the job done after a hard day of skating practise.

_Well, of course. That was a given._

_How could he relax, after what had happened...?_

When the blue-haired boy emerged from the bathroom, he found that his mother was nowhere in sight.

She had probably showered a while ago and sat on the couch, since - waiting for her son worriedly.

Good thing Langa had returned home safe and sound, then.

At least _one_ of them was getting some sleep, tonight.

Langa turned off the lights, went into his room, and now, here he was.

**Still staring at the videos of him and Reki.**

Eventually, he decided to tap to the previous text conversations with Reki.

His heart ached all over again, and he gripped his phone tighter.

It really was his fault for breaking his promise.

_‘Reki, please answer me.’_

_‘I just want to talk.’_

Seeing that Reki came online for a split second, Langa noticed that he had disappeared offline just as quickly.

Yeah, he was _definitely_ avoiding him.

Langa couldn't help but drift off as he held his phone in hand, draining its battery severely by the morning.

_All Langa could feel was just how absent Reki really was from his life._

_These feelings wouldn't go away._

* * *

Sunday was the qualifiers.

Langa attempted to call Reki.

He didn't pick up the phone.

_'The qualifiers are starting.'_

_'Reki?'_

* * *

Langa passed through the qualifiers without a hitch.

Well, with the exception of having to deal with a bunch of guys dressed in black, swinging batons around in an attempt to knock him off his board.

_Just standard S procedure._

Langa held onto the small hope of Reki showing up.

The biggest disappointment of all, though, was getting his hopes up that the red-haired boy had placed a hand on his shoulder, and congratulated him on his win.

Only it wasn't Reki.

**_It was Adam._ **

He sent another text that night.

_'Reki?'_

_‘I’ll see you in class on Monday, okay?’_

* * *

_"Hey, Langa!"_

_"You barely made it!"_

_"Morning, Langa-kun!_

"Morning." The blue-haired skater greeted back.

His eyes were instantly drawn to Reki, sat on his left and looking out of the window.

He looked the same as usual, but even more... _distant._

Still, Langa wanted to try shooting his shot, and turned his head to look over at the shorter with a smile.

"Morning, Reki."

A few moments of silence.

" **Hey.** " Reki grunted out.

_He hadn't even turned his head._

"...I...got past the qualifiers." Langa informed, making sure his smile didn't waver.

" _Hm..._ " Reki hummed, tone almost musical and mocking.

Silence.

" **It has nothing to do with me, though."** He finished off blankly.

Langa stared worriedly at the back of Reki's head, before turning his own and looking down at his desk.

**_Reki wasn't even looking at him._ **

* * *

Dinner that night went as usual.

Langa sat opposite his mother, left hand holding a bowl of rice, while his right held chopsticks. All the while a brown-framed picture of himself as a child, his father, and his mother rested to the side - silent, but also present and nostalgic.

"...Hey, Mom..." Langa began.

His mother was just about to have a bite of her food, until her focus shifted up to him, eyes flickering.

"What is it?" She asked casually.

Langa couldn't look her in the eyes. He took to staring at her plate.

"This...is delicious."

His mother's face lit up at the compliment, holding her chin with sparkling eyes.

"You think so?" She beamed in reply, staring down at the meal shared between them, "It went rather well today! How well it's cooked..."

Trailing off, his mother's eyes drifted towards him, and she parted her lips in surprise.

Langa still kept his eyes glued to her plate.

"Hey, Mom..." Langa addressed once again.

" _...What is it?_ " She asked once again, clearly taken aback as worry was now laced in her voice.

"Tomorrow...will it be sunny, you think?" He asked.

A few moments of silence passed.

She must have been panicking and overthinking, Langa guessed.

Her face scrunched up into a bunch of expressions, after all, and she seemed to be troubled beyond belief, sweating intensely whilst looking to the family photo and reaching out desperately.

The grip on her chopsticks were tight, too.

"Hey, Mom..." Langa began again.

She quickly tensed up and whipped her head around to look back at her son with a nervous smile.

" _Yes?!_ " She asked, eyes big, and smile forced.

There were a few more seconds of silence as she blinked way more than usual.

"I kinda screwed up." Langa stated with a small, defeated exhale, finally lifting this lie off of his shoulders.

His mother parted her lips in surprise.

"And I'm being avoided." He added on.

His mother seemed to relax almost instantly. She smiled, closed her eyes, and let out a sigh.

_Of relief?_

"I had something similar happen to me." She said, looking to the side with melancholic eyes. But her tone made it seem like she was looking back on it in nostalgia.

Langa blinked in surprise, looking up at her.

"Really?" He asked.

"You just keep missing each other. But neither of you are in the wrong..." She stated in assumption.

"No..." Langa replied, looking back down, "It was my fault in the first place for breaking our promise." He mumbled.

“I think it’s best if you were honest with your feelings.” His mother replied, the smile not leaving her face.

"... _'Honest'_...?" Langa repeated in question.

"You... ** _like_ **that person, right?"

Langa tensed up.

" _Huh?!_ " He squeaked out, eyes widening, and lips parted.

His mother stared at him warmly. Reassuringly.

The blue-haired boy quickly averted her eyes once again, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"Well..." He began in a mumble, looking even further away, and blinking repeatedly, " _...Yeah._ "

_This was so awkward._

“Why don't you honestly relay your emotions?" She inquired.

" _No way._ " The ex-snowboarder replied almost instantly, looking back at her with a cocked eyebrow, " _That's too embarrassing._ "

"You have to act on it..." His mother replied, eyes closed, "If you really care about her!" She finished off with a beam, giving a wink and a thumbs up.

Langa stared.

Silence.

"... _'Her'_...?" Langa repeated in question.

" _Huh?_ " She asked.

" **Huh?** "

_Wait, what?_

_She didn't know he was referring to Reki? And didn't sense that something was up between them?_

_Was it both density and anxiety that ran on his mother's side of the family, then?_

* * *

Langa rode the bike into the night

_'I wonder if Reki will be here today...'_

He pulled up outside of Reki's window, looking up, before lighting up with a beam.

_'The window's open! That means...!'_

* * *

_After asking Joe and looking around..._

_Reki wasn't here._

* * *

Last night was crazy.

For both Langa and Reki.

Reki couldn't believe that he had gone.

He couldn't believe that he was so swept up in his own feelings, that he gave himself away, and screamed Langa's name out as he skated past.

Langa was much more amazing than what he was showing. And he was giving up so damn easily.

_Reki did what he had to._

Their eyes met, and the scene seemed to unfold in slow motion.

_Langa was extremely happy to have seen Reki._

_That passion about winning came back to him._

_For Reki, however, he realised something._

_That these feelings wouldn't go away._

_He gave up, and handed his S pin in._

**_He gave up skateboarding._ **

* * *

The next day, morning homeroom went the same as usual for Reki.

_Well, before Langa's transfer, of course._

Memories of the two sitting together during homeroom sessions struck, reading and discussing the newest issue of a weekly skateboarding magazine.

Or them sitting on the roof, sharing lunch together, and helping each other out with opening drinks and packets, and such.

_These feelings wouldn't go away._

_"Yo, Reki!"_

_" **Mornin** '."_

_"Morni---Woah! Dude, are you **okay**?"_

_"I'm fine."_ Reki muttered, taking a seat on his desk.

His group of friends crowded, sitting and standing around the boy.

_"But your eyes...they're all puffy and red..."_

_"And you have bags under them, too..."_

"Hey, hey, Reki-kun!" One of the girls addressed excitedly, calling out as she approached him.

Reki turned his head and attention away from his unenthused-about-skateboarding group of friends in surprise, hands in his pockets.

"Hm? What is it?" He asked the shorter classmate.

Reki noticed that she was extremely fidgety and getting cheered on by her group of giggling friends.

In exchange, Reki's friends gasped dramatically, shaking him left and right wildly.

" _Is this the fateful first-time that Reki is gettin' confessed to?!_ " One of them asked.

The entire class seemed to then erupt into chatter and laughter.

"Oi, shut it!" Reki snapped with a frown, nudging them with his elbow.

He really wasn't in the mood to deal with their shit. It was bad enough that his mother had to drag him out of bed worriedly.

He remembered her saying that for times where one is in a rut, or depressed, school was the best place to be.

Oh, how wrong she was.

"What?! No, you idiots!" One of the girls snapped.

"She just wanted to ask a question!" Another one chimed in.

The red-haired skater then blinked and gave a small nod, before looking at the girl curiously once again.

"Reki-kun, you're pretty close with Langa-kun, right?" She asked with a smile, head was cocked to the side hands, and behind her back as she fluttered her eyelashes at him, "D'you have any idea what his type is?"

" _...Hah?_ "

_Reki couldn't believe what he was hearing._

Suddenly, his heart felt as though it was being coated with a black, tar-like substance. Dripping into his stomach, as a disgusted feeling suddenly overtook him, beginning to pool around him.

_Wanting to swallow him up whole._

Just like yesterday.

Langa won.

But Reki couldn't be happy for him.

He wasn't happy at all for his friend.

These feelings wouldn't go away.

The red-haired skater was just frustrated, and he was so sure that handing in his S pin was a good first step to leave skating behind.

These feelings behind.

And crying.

But, he quickly swallowed that feeling down, before it could erupt from his throat, staring at the girl blankly.

“ _No, I don't._ ” Reki replied coldly.

"Could you ask him, then...?"

The red-haired boy let out a laugh of disbelief, unable to look her in the eyes.

"Why not do it yourself?" He scoffed, looking off to the side with balled up fists, "It's none of my business.”

"No---well, it's just because you two were always so close, and--"

" ** _We ain't close!_** " Reki called out in annoyance.

 _'Not anymore...'_ He thought to himself in defeat.

The classroom fell into dead silence, until one of Reki's friends tapped him on the shoulder lightly, speaking behind his hand.

_"Dude...I think he heard you..."_

Reki widened his eyes and quickly turned his head to look at the open sliding door, lips parted.

_Langa was stood there._

Almost mirroring Reki's expression.

His lunch in hand, blinking a few times with parted lips.

He almost looked aloof.

_Or was that melancholy Reki saw on the taller's face?_

They stood there for what seemed like forever - across the classroom from each other.

Amber eyes meeting blue ones.

Reki stared helplessly at Langa.

Just like that rainy day.

_'You and I...aren't a good match anymore.'_

_These feelings wouldn't go away._

To Reki, the expression that Langa had just worn on his face must have been melancholy, as the taller skateboarder turned right back around, and shut the sliding door behind him as calmly as he could.

_'It'll be alright if it's you two.'_

The sounds of Langa running down the hall was far too audible.

Everyone in the class slowly looked away from where he was stood, then at Reki in total confusion and discomfort.

The red-haired skateboarder didn't care, however.

He quickly jumped up, slammed the door open, and ran out into the halls, completely ignoring the PE teacher's yells after him.

All Reki wanted was to catch up to Langa, and reach him.

To finally make these feelings go away.

_'...After all this time...'_

**_Langa was still unreachable._ **

* * *

"What is it...?"

"I...Langa, back there, I didn't---"

"It's okay, Reki."

"No, listen, she wanted me to---"

"Reki. It's _fine_..."

An awkward silence.

" _How..._ "

Reki went quiet and gritted his teeth, balling up his fists.

"How is _any_ of this fine?!" He snapped, "How can you say something like that, after _everything_ I said to you?! To _them_?!"

"You said it. It can't be changed." Langa stated matter of factly.

Reki tensed up.

The chime of homeroom beginning struck.

There were a few shouts from beneath them, as a few late, last minute students ran into the building.

Other than that, the only thing audible was Reki’s heavy, emotional breathing, and the wind.

"I guess...I got the wrong impression, after yesterday..." Langa muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

His eyes flickered, as he made a conscious effort to avoid Reki's eyes.

The red-haired skater stared at the taller helplessly.

"In Canada...I was distant from most people all the time...since I was so absorbed in snowboarding..." The blue-haired skater explained, "My mother would always call me a daydreamer, and... after my father passed away...I lost his support."

"I... _I'm sorry._ " Reki muttered awkwardly, looking away as Langa shook his head.

He recalled Langa briefly mentioning his father, and explaining the situation, but Reki didn't want to pry.

_He knew that Langa would talk about it, when he was ready to._

_He thought he'd always be there for Langa._

These feelings wouldn't go away.

"His death got to my ability to snowboard. I lacked that excitement in my heart." The blue-haired skater continued on with a small, weak laugh.

More awkward silence.

"I became an empty shell of myself.” He said, “But coming here, to Okinawa...I thought...I thought I had _finally_ gotten somewhere...and progressed socially, y'know...?"

" _What are you talking about?!_ " Reki blurted out in disbelief and question, holding his hands out, "Of _course_ you have! You have so many people who look up to you in S! And at school, you're well-liked! You have more friends outside of me!"

"But--"

"Are you trying to make me feel bad for you?!" Reki interrupted, " _This is so uncool!_ "

"What? No, I---"

" _I'm the only one who can't be happy for you, Langa, don’t you get it?!_ ” Reki interrupted, running his hands through his hair in frustration, as he took his headband off, “ _It's my own problem! It really is! I'm the one who's uncool, here!_ "

A few seconds of silence passed, as Reki looked down at the taller's shoes, headband tightly in hand.

"I just---don't let my feelings get in the way of your life! **_It's none of my business, after all!_** "

" _How **can** I, when you're such a big part of it?!_" Langa replied in question, voice wavering, " _It **is** your business!_"

Reki widened his eyes, looking up at him.

His heart began thumping insanely, as the colour mounted in his cheeks.

" _Langa..._ "

_These feelings wouldn't go away._

" _I don't want to lose you, Reki!_ " Langa continued on, looking down at his shoes, fists clenched, " _Even if you think we aren't a good match, anymore!_ "

" _W-what're you saying---_ "

"I'm saying that I... _I want to be with you, Reki!_ " Langa replied, looking up at the shorter with an unwavering resolve, despite his shaking voice, and reflective eyes, " _ **I like you!**_ "

Reki tensed up, and he felt butterflies in his stomach.

He could see that Langa was blushing just as much as he was, whilst the wind blew through their hair, as they stood on the school roof.

_This was their place, after all._

_A personal space for the two of them._

"When I lost your support, I felt the same thing happen in my heart! My excitement for skating had disappeared!"

"Wh--"

"But…But Reki, when you screamed out my name, I--I _felt_ it, clear as day!"

“I…” Reki gulped, “ ** _I don’t believe you!_** ” He snapped.

Langa looked visibly hurt and confused.

“ _After all, I'm a nobody!_ A Slime! Only a few months ago, _I_ was the one teaching _you!_ I had been skating for so long, too! How can you jump so highly and beautifully, compared to _me?! Is it that I lack the effort?! The talent?!_ ”

“Reki—“

“ _Langa, since when was there such a huge gap between us?! You’re a snow flurry, and I’m---I’m…I’m nothing!_ "

"Reki, you're... _You're the reason I skate! The reason I even picked up a skateboard, in the first place! The one who introduced me to the world of S!_ " Langa called out in reply, desperately taking the other’s wrist in his hand, " _The one who taught me so much!_ "

Reki tried to snatch his arm away, but Langa’s grip was firm.

“ ** _Let go!_** ” He snapped.

" _You're the reason I found something new to look forward to!_ ” Langa pressed on desperately, “ _To love! To have a reason to get out of bed in the mornings! And...you're a part of that love, Reki!_ "

Reki felt his heart skip a beat, as his eyes teared up.

"Wh---"

"So I don't care if others say you're a _'nobody'!_ " The ex-snowboarder continued, "I don't care if I'm considered a _'somebody'_ , either! **_I don't care about any of that!_** "

Reki had never seen Langa this…expressive, before.

" _I just want **you**!_" He stated, “I want to skate with you! Like skating, I...I want _us_ to be infinite! To have infinite possibilities _together_!"

The silence between them was deafening, as Langa’s head remained low, as though he had just finished running a marathon. He was breathing heavily, as a shadow was cast over his face.

Eventually, his grip around Reki’s wrist weakened, and he slowly slipped away, straightening his stance.

Reki’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears of frustration.

_‘Ah…I knew it…’_

_He quickly began attempting to calm his breathing down._

_Fists balled up._

_Lips quivering._

_Body trembling._

_‘These feelings won’t go away…they really won’t.’_

Langa noticed Reki’s behaviour almost immediately – he raised his head, eyes wide as he looked at the slightly shorter.

**_‘I love him.’_ **

Reki inhaled sharply, choking on his tears for a moment.

As he began to wipe his eyes with his sleeve, the tears seemed almost never-ending. He couldn’t help but cry from his throat, and it wouldn’t stop.

_He was so uncool. He really was._

_In front of Langa, of all people, too…_

“ _I’m sorry—Langa--I’m sorry!---I didn’t mean to, I—_ “

Langa quickly shook his head, taking a step forward and holding Reki’s face in his hands.

“Reki, it’s okay--- _I’m_ the one who should be apologising…” He reassured desperately, eyebrows tilted upwards, “I’m sorry---I broke our promise, and—“

_The sight of Reki crying made Langa break._

“Langa---I--I'm scared."

“It’s okay.” Langa reassured with a wavering laugh, blinking his eyes repeatedly – the tears began to pour, and he sniffed, “ _It’s okay, Reki._ ”

He leaned forwards, placing a soft kiss against Reki’s cheek, before leaning back with a weak smile, cheeks practically stained with tears.

Reki looked up at Langa in shock and held his hands, which continued to cup his face.

“We can face Adam together.” Langa said.

Reki scrunched his face up, before enveloping Langa in a bone-crushing hug, all at once. He inhaled deeply, taking the taller’s scent in, and buried his face in his chest.

“ _…It’s not that…_ ” Reki replied with a choking sob, sniffing, “I'm scared...that I'm not good enough. _For you. For skating._ "

“Reki…”

The red-haired skater looked up into Langa’s blue eyes, his amber ones threatening to shed even more tears.

“ _I don't want to cheer others on, after all! I want to be skating right next to you!_ " He called out, clinging to the back of Langa’s shirt.

" _And you can, Reki! You never stopped!_ " Langa replied in disbelief, “I’ll _always_ want to skate with you!”

_“…You mean that?”_

_“I swear!”_

The two boys stood there, looking into each other’s eyes.

These feelings between them.

_They wouldn’t go away._

**_And they were stronger than ever before._ **

Langa felt his heart thumping out of his chest, as he glanced down at Reki’s lips.

The shorter seemed to have noticed, as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip softly, making them glisten brightly.

Langa gulped, before taking a hold of both of Reki’s shoulders, parting his lips.

_Reki let him._

The red-haired skater leaned in, attempting to reach Langa’s lips with his own, eyes half lidded. He couldn’t take his gaze off of Langa, and Langa couldn’t take his gaze off of him, either.

I _t was warm._

_Kissing each other felt warm._

_It felt soft, safe, and they both knew that these feelings would never go away._

Reki quickly let out a shaky exhale after they parted from the kiss, wiping his tears and nose one last time with a nervous laugh.

" _Ah, I feel better! Even though that was really embarrassing!_ ” Reki exclaimed, ears and cheeks burning up.

“Reki…”

“Y’know, Langa… _I…gave up skating. I even handed my S pin in._ ”

“ _W-What?!_ ”

“I watched this whole time...your effort, and senses...just how much you loved skating. And there was no denying I was jealous…"

“But—“

“But do you know how much I truly love skating and you, to give up so easily?”

Langa stared at the boy with parted lips, thinking for a moment, before his face lit up.

“So I guess I'm going to remake S - the way it _should_ be made! And we’re an infinite match---mf?!”

Langa had pounced onto Reki, pressing their lips together far too excitedly once more.

**_“I love you, Reki!”_ **


End file.
